A fine jewelry production manager has taken TikTok by storm with her candid "hot takes" on engagement rings.
In the video, which garnered 1.4 million views and nearly 50,000 likes, Kaitlin Cavallo shared her personal do's and don'ts for those looking to tie the knot in 2025. Using her insider knowledge of the jewelry world, she shared her opinions on ring trends, durability and design choices.
"Some of my hottest engagement ring takes as a fine jewelry production manager," Cavallo captioned the video. "These are just my opinion, but I will die on all of these hills!"
The 'Hot Takes'
One of Cavallo's first statements was about eternity bands—rings featuring a continuous circle of gemstones, often diamonds, that go all the way around the band—as wedding bands which she called "a waste of money."
"Why spend so much on a ring that can't be sized to fit you in all stages of life?" she wrote, referring to the fact that eternity bands cannot be resized.
Cavallo also tackled the debate over stone size. "There is such thing as too big," she said, sharing a picture of a ring with a huge diamond.
And for those opting for minimalist designs, she had a warning: "Your whisper-thin band absolutely will break. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when."
Something Cavallo defended was the solitaire ring: a ring with a simple setting containing a stone as the centerpiece.
"I don't care what shape stone you have, a solitaire can never be 'trendy,'" she said. "It's a timeless design and, sure, many people have it. But a solitaire is as classic as a pair of jeans, in my opinion."
Diamonds vs. Moissanites
A point that Cavallo spent more time on in the video was her stance on moissanites versus diamonds.
She was intent that moissanites, lab-created gemstones that mimic the appearance of diamonds, weren't inherently better or worse than diamonds—but people who opt for them should be prepared for the comparison.
"You can absolutely see the difference between a diamond and a moissanite," she said. "Don't get a 'moissy' expecting a diamond dupe. They're completely different stones and should be treated as such!"
Ultimately, Cavallo stressed the importance of matching a ring's design to the wearer's lifestyle, reminding TikTokers that engagement rings are meant to last a lifetime.
"Lifestyle should be among your top considerations when it comes to choosing a design," she said. "A hairdresser might need a more secure setting than a lawyer."
Trends and Predictions
Cavallo made a bold—and specific—prediction for the future of engagement ring trends.
"Chunky halos are cute and will make a comeback in 2025. Trust me on this. Especially with colored gem centers!" she said.
Halos are rings where the center gemstone is surrounded by a "halo" of smaller gemstones, with a focus on thicker designs.
Cavallo's opinions sparked debate in the comments, with some defending their personal choices.
"I love my moissanite ring! I think it's so much prettier than a diamond in the sunlight," one viewer wrote.
"My wife has a moissanite and every single person that has ever seen it thinks I spent crazy money because they think it's a diamond," another shared. "Normal folks cannot tell, not one bit."
Regardless of viewers' opinions, though, Cavallo was resolute in warning viewers that her takes were "hot."
"Thanks for coming to my TED talk!" she concluded.
Newsweek reached out to @kaitlincavallo0 for comment via TikTok.
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